Pick-up bed space divider

ABSTRACT

A pick-up bed space divider includes a device for removably positioning in a pick-up bed. The pick-up bed has a bottom wall, a pair of side walls, and a tailgate. The bottom wall has a pair of wheel wells. The device has a first panel having an upper edge, a bottom edge and a pair of side edges. The bottom edge is selectively abutted against the bottom wall and positioned adjacent to the wheel wells. A second panel has a back edge, a front edge, and a pair of lateral edges. A hinge is attached to and pivotally couples the back edge to the upper edge. The second panel has a width between the lateral edges that is greater than a width between the side walls. The second panel abuts an upper edge of the side walls and the tailgate when the second panel is in a horizontal position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to pick-up bed storage devices and moreparticularly pertains to a new pick-up bed storage device for creating astorage area adjacent to a tailgate of a pick-up bed.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The use of pick-up bed storage devices is known in the prior art. Whilethese devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives andrequirements, the need remains for a device that may be easilypositioned within a pick-up bed without adding hardware on the pick-upbed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention meets the needs presented above by providing adevice which is retrofittable to existing pick-up bed configurationssuch that the wheel wells and tailgate of the pick-up bed are used forstabilizing the device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new pick-up bedstorage device that including a coupling assembly for securing thedevice to the tailgate.

To this end, the present invention generally comprises a pick-up bedspace dividing device for removably positioning in a pick-up bed. Thepick-up bed has a bottom wall, a pair of side walls, and a tailgate. Thebottom wall has a pair of wheel wells. The device comprises a firstpanel having an upper edge, a bottom edge and a pair of side edges. Thebottom edge is selectively abutted against the bottom wall andpositioned adjacent to the wheel wells such that the panel is locatedbetween the wheel wells and the tailgate. A second panel has a backedge, a front edge, and a pair of lateral edges. A hinge is attached toand pivotally couples the back edge to the upper edge. The second panelhas a width between the lateral edges that is greater than a widthbetween the side walls so that the second panel abuts an upper edge ofthe side walls and the tailgate when the second panel is in a horizontalposition.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more importantfeatures of the invention in order that the detailed description thereofthat follows may be better understood, and in order that the presentcontribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additionalfeatures of the invention that will be described hereinafter and whichwill form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the invention, along with the various features of noveltywhich characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity inthe claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and objects other than those setforth above will become apparent when consideration is given to thefollowing detailed description thereof. Such description makes referenceto the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a pick-up bed space divideraccording to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through4 thereof, a new pick-up bed storage device embodying the principles andconcepts of the present invention and generally designated by thereference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the pick-up bed space divider10 generally comprises a device for removably positioning in aconventional pick-up bed 5 having a bottom wall 6, a pair of side walls7, and a tailgate 8. The bottom wall 6 has a pair of wheel wells 9positioned therein, of which only one is shown.

The divider 10 includes a first panel 12 having an upper edge 14, abottom edge 16 and a pair of side edges 18. The bottom edge 16 isselectively abutted against the bottom wall 6 and positioned adjacent tothe wheel wells 9 such that the first panel 12 is located between thewheel wells and the tailgate. A second panel 20 has a back edge 22, afront edge 24, and a pair of lateral edges 26. A hinge 28 is attached toand pivotally couples the back edge 22 to the upper edge 14. The secondpanel 20 has a width between the lateral edges 26 that is greater than awidth between the side walls 7. The length of the second panel 20 fromthe front edge 24 to the back edge 22 also needs to be at least as longas the distance from the wheel wells 9 to the tailgate 8. Because of thesize requirements, the device will generally be retrofitted to existingpick-up beds 5. The second panel 20 abuts an upper edge 30 of the sidewalls 7 and an upper edge 31 of the tailgate 8 when the second panel 20is in a horizontal position.

A lip 32 is attached to and extends along a length of the front edge 24of the second panel 20. The lip 32 extends downward when the secondpanel 20 is in a horizontal orientation. A coupling assembly 34 forselectively coupling the lip 32 to the tailgate 8 is attached to the lip32. The coupling assembly 34 includes a latch 36 that is rotatablycoupled to an inner surface of the lip 32. The latch 36 is selectivelypositionable adjacent to an inner surface 42 of the tailgate 8 when thelip 32 is adjacent to an outer surface 44 of the tailgate 8. Thecoupling assembly 34 may include a lock 38 for securing rotation of thelatch 36. A catch 40 would be attached to the inner surface 42 of thetailgate 8 so that the latch 36 may engage the catch 40 in a lockedorientation.

In use, the first panel 12 divides the pick-up bed 5 into two sections.When the second panel 20 is positioned on the top edge 30 of the sidewalls 7, the first panel 12 cannot swing backward because of theposition of the wheel wells 9. The coupling assembly 34 prevents themovement of the second panel 20 with respect to the tailgate 8. Thespace provided below the second panel 20 can be used for securing items,if the coupling assembly 34 is lockable, or simply for organizing thepick-up bed.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized thatthe optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, toinclude variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and mannerof operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obviousto one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to thoseillustrated in the drawings and described in the specification areintended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of theinvention.

I claim:
 1. A pick-up bed space dividing device for removablypositioning in a pick-up bed, the pick-up bed having a bottom wall, apair of side walls, and a tailgate, the bottom wall having a pair ofwheel wells, said device comprising: a first panel having an upper edge,a bottom edge and a pair of side edges, said bottom edge beingselectively abutted against the bottom wall and positioned adjacent tothe wheel wells such that said first panel is located between the wheelwells and the tailgate; a second panel having a back edge, a front edge,and a pair of lateral edges, a hinge being attached to and pivotallycoupling said back edge to said upper edge, said second panel having awidth between said lateral edges being greater than a width between theside walls, wherein said second panel abuts an upper edge of the sidewalls and the tailgate when said second panel is in a horizontalposition; and a lip being attached to and extending along a length ofsaid front edge of said second panel, said lip extending downward whensaid second panel is in a horizontal orientation.
 2. The pick-up bedspace dividing device of claim 1, further including a coupling assemblybeing attached to said lip for selectively coupling said lip to thetailgate.
 3. The pick-up bed space dividing device of claim 2, whereinsaid coupling assembly includes a latch being rotatably coupled to aninner surface of said lip, wherein said latch is selectivelypositionable adjacent to an inner surface of the tailgate when said lipis adjacent to an outer surface of the tailgate.
 4. A pick-up bed spacedividing device for removably positioning in a pick-up bed, the pick-upbed having a bottom wall, a pair of side walls, and a tailgate, thebottom wall having a pair of wheel wells, said device comprising: afirst panel having an upper edge, a bottom edge and a pair of sideedges, said bottom edge being selectively abutted against the bottomwall and positioned adjacent to the wheel wells such that said firstpanel is located between the wheel wells and the tailgate; a secondpanel having a back edge, a front edge, and a pair of lateral edges, ahinge being attached to and pivotally coupling said back edge to saidupper edge, said second panel having a width between said lateral edgesbeing greater than a width between the side walls, wherein said secondpanel abuts an upper edge of the side walls and the tailgate when saidsecond panel is in a horizontal position; a lip being attached to andextending along a length of said front edge of said second panel, saidlip being adapted to extend along the tailgate and downwardly adjacentto an outer face of the tailgate when said second panel is in ahorizontal orientation; and a coupling assembly for selectively couplingsaid lip to the tailgate, said coupling assembly including a latch beingrotatably coupled to an inner surface of said lip, wherein said latch isselectively positionable adjacent to an inner surface of the tailgatewhen said lip is adjacent to an outer surface of the tailgate.